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Which Is Better For a Newsletter, PDF Or Email Format?

by scrofford
12 replies
Hey Everyone,

I am working on a newsletter to build a list in one of my niche markets and I have never created one before. I thought that maybe creating the newsletter in MS Publisher and then converting it into a PDF file might be the best way to go because the newsletter will look like a real newsletter and it's printable etc.

So how it will work is someone will opt-in to my list and will be send a link via email to another page where they can download the PDF newsletter. I have seen both email format newsletters and PDF format. My question is which do you think is better? Or has another format worked well for you? To me it seems like the PDF format would be the easiest to create. Any opinions or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone!
#email #format #newsletter #pdf
  • Profile picture of the author StephanieMojica
    I've invested thousands of dollars (not to mention hours) into this exact topic, and for a newsletter I strongly advise using an e-mail format.

    PDF files are best for eReports and eBooks; people on lists are often in a hurry (because of all the e-mail we get these days) and would rather skim the newsletter in the body of the e-mail than go to the effort of downloading a PDF for a newsletter.

    Good luck! Maintaining contact with your list at least once a week through a newsletter or other value-adding content is a key toward building a following.

    Stephanie
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    Are you still struggling to grow your Internet business income? Learn the secrets that increased my income 700%--and can do the same for you--in my free report "5 Business Prosperity Secrets." Go here now to download your copy at no cost to you...http://www.businessprosperitysecrets.com
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    • Profile picture of the author Greenwarrior
      Use e- mail format, I use chip-monkey,
      Best Wishes
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      Please no affiliate links in your signature! Thanks!

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      • Profile picture of the author DavidMaddux
        Hello scrofford,

        If you're soliciting opinions, I'll throw mine out there

        The email format is better for the regularly scheduled or routine newsletter. Inside the email format newsletter could be a link to a certain report you've created on a specific topic.

        That way your subscriber can finish your newsletter, and decide separately if they would like to navigate away and have a look at your .pdf report.

        One other thing, be sure to use the plain text format in your emails. While the .html format is far more attractive, it's not always 100% readable by your subscriber. Many times it just comes across as garbled code. That's a real turn off for a subscriber who voluntarily signed up for your content.

        Best wishes.
        Signature
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        • Profile picture of the author scrofford
          Originally Posted by DavidMaddux View Post

          Hello scrofford,

          If you're soliciting opinions, I'll throw mine out there

          The email format is better for the regularly scheduled or routine newsletter. Inside the email format newsletter could be a link to a certain report you've created on a specific topic.

          That way your subscriber can finish your newsletter, and decide separately if they would like to navigate away and have a look at your .pdf report.

          One other thing, be sure to use the plain text format in your emails. While the .html format is far more attractive, it's not always 100% readable by your subscriber. Many times it just comes across as garbled code. That's a real turn off for a subscriber who voluntarily signed up for your content.

          Best wishes.
          Thanks David,

          The only question I have is don't people like pictures and stuff in their newsletters? Maybe I could do both html and text. I use Aweber, so what do you think about that. The only reason I thought about using PDF was because it made things look real professional and it was printable.
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          • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
            For the PDF online option, you are asking the subscriber
            to take too many (unnecessary) actions.

            Think about it...

            They need to receive your e-mail, click on the link to go
            to the web page and then click on a link to download the
            PDF document.

            Only the subscribers who take all these unnecessary steps
            will get to see your content and then click to go through
            to your offers.

            This will hurt your click-through-rates for any offers you
            make within your newsletter.

            Send the content in the e-mail and then your subscribers
            get the material delivered to them on a platter and only
            have to click once if they want to go through to the
            offers you make.

            I'd consider a PDF or fully printed option for a paid newsletter
            delivering primarily content, but if you're thinking of giving
            free content and making offers, then a straight forward e-mail
            newsletter option is better.

            Dedicated to your success,

            Shaun
            Signature

            .

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            • Profile picture of the author scrofford
              Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

              For the PDF online option, you are asking the subscriber
              to take too many (unnecessary) actions.

              Think about it...

              They need to receive your e-mail, click on the link to go
              to the web page and then click on a link to download the
              PDF document.

              Only the subscribers who take all these unnecessary steps
              will get to see your content and then click to go through
              to your offers.

              This will hurt your click-through-rates for any offers you
              make within your newsletter.

              Send the content in the e-mail and then your subscribers
              get the material delivered to them on a platter and only
              have to click once if they want to go through to the
              offers you make.

              I'd consider a PDF or fully printed option for a paid newsletter
              delivering primarily content, but if you're thinking of giving
              free content and making offers, then a straight forward e-mail
              newsletter option is better.

              Dedicated to your success,

              Shaun
              Thanks for your input Shuan! So would you use html or plain text for the email newsletter? I have seen both and what if I create both so that those who can't see it in html can get the text?
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              • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
                Originally Posted by scrofford View Post

                Thanks for your input Shuan! So would you use html or plain text for the email newsletter? I have seen both and what if I create both so that those who can't see it in html can get the text?
                For my newsletters, I always send Plain Text and HTML
                versions.

                That way, the subscriber can receive the newsletter
                in the format that suits the device they're reading the
                e-mail on at that point in time.

                I like the extra trackability that the HTML version allows
                me and I also use formatting such as bold, italics, color
                and underlines to increase the readability of the HTML
                message. Plus with HTML I can use anchor text to produce
                nicer looking links.

                You can even do a split test between sending Plain Text
                only and Plain Text/HTML Multi-part to see which one gets
                the most results for your specific list.

                Dedicated to your success,

                Shaun
                Signature

                .

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                • Profile picture of the author scrofford
                  Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

                  For my newsletters, I always send Plain Text and HTML
                  versions.

                  That way, the subscriber can receive the newsletter
                  in the format that suits the device they're reading the
                  e-mail on at that point in time.

                  I like the extra trackability that the HTML version allows
                  me and I also use formatting such as bold, italics, color
                  and underlines to increase the readability of the HTML
                  message. Plus with HTML I can use anchor text to produce
                  nicer looking links.

                  You can even do a split test between sending Plain Text
                  only and Plain Text/HTML Multi-part to see which one gets
                  the most results for your specific list.

                  Dedicated to your success,

                  Shaun
                  Again, thanks! I will take your advice! On my way to creating lol!
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  • Profile picture of the author sarnokemplu
    use pdf
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  • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
    Hey Scrofford,

    Good to hear you're doing some moving and shaking

    I believe this is another one of those subjects where you're going to get several apparently contradicting opinions - until you're able to put them into context in your niche.

    There are valid arguments to support most positions on this subject.

    I'm delivering a weekly paid newsletter by pdf at the moment and it has to be pdf because it contains a lot of analysis and financial charts and graphs.

    Readers like to print this out and store it for reference and pdf is what they prefer.

    I email the subscribers and tell them it's online and they go to the membership and download it.

    These are paying customers who want this valuable information - the fact that it's a pdf and they have to go and download it is irrelevant and a very small consideration.

    So - while in some situations you could argue that it's too much to ask people to do - it eventually comes down to who your audience are and how much they value the information.

    So - I say go test it and find out for yourself, or at least ask your audience and give them what they want.

    Andy
    Signature

    nothing to see here.

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    • Profile picture of the author scrofford
      Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

      Hey Scrofford,

      Good to hear you're doing some moving and shaking

      I believe this is another one of those subjects where you're going to get several apparently contradicting opinions - until you're able to put them into context in your niche.

      There are valid arguments to support most positions on this subject.

      I'm delivering a weekly paid newsletter by pdf at the moment and it has to be pdf because it contains a lot of analysis and financial charts and graphs.

      Readers like to print this out and store it for reference and pdf is what they prefer.

      I email the subscribers and tell them it's online and they go to the membership and download it.

      These are paying customers who want this valuable information - the fact that it's a pdf and they have to go and download it is irrelevant and a very small consideration.

      So - while in some situations you could argue that it's too much to ask people to do - it eventually comes down to who your audience are and how much they value the information.

      So - I say go test it and find out for yourself, or at least ask your audience and give them what they want.

      Andy
      Thanks Andy, the way you are doing it is the way I was thinking about doing so also. So I think I will test it. I really appreciate your input by the way!
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  • Profile picture of the author Internet_Corporation
    Best format would be to produce html and text version to go out by email, but keep the content brief to wet the appetite.

    Then link each section to the fully loaded newsletter on your website so you gain SE indexing online as well.

    I noticed that you would get them to optin, then send the newsletter by email. Why not just deliver the newletter straight after optin on the thank you page. Problem with email is that its not relaible so make sure you get it infront of their eyes there and then.
    Signature
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